The Mitsubishi Pajero Owners Club®

[Groundhog]

What on earth posessed Mitsubishi to replace such a good truck as the mk4 Paj with a truely hatefull thing as the DiD.

Shortly after buying this heap it decided it wasn't going to idle and stalled every time the clutch was depressed, at low speed it sounds like an old tractor, constantly jerks like it's running on kangaroos, and  couldn't pull skin off custard.  Changing the fuel filter didn't cure any of these problems and various garages, including the Mitzy main dealers, said the fuel pump would have to be sent off for repair, which seems to be the stock answer to everything these days, a terrifying prospect when reading some of the many posts on the subject.

As abruptly as the idling problem began it disappeared of it's own accord, although the other issues at low speed remain.

Shortly after changing the fuel filter the water in the filter light came on, and I was horrified at how much I water drained out, given that the new filter had only done around 400mls. More alarming  was the color of the fuel. If I could work out how to post a pic I would, but sitting on top of the water/sludge the fuel looks like orange juce.

I decided the tank must be full of water & sludge so set about emptying it. The thing is, without a ramp dropping the tank isn't an option, and when I saw the condition of the bolts holding on the tank guard, and the drain plug itself, access through the top was the only way. The suction stack is fastened with what appears to be six 8mm nuts, but in fact an 8mm socket wouldn't grip and a 7mm wouldn't go on, so they had to be snapped off, firstly by drilling a hole at an angle through the nuts and studs to weaken them, then a clout with a chistle. None of this was made any easier by the fact that the access plate isn't big enough to get to two of the studs square on.

After all that it turned out the tank was as clean as a whistle and no water, although the fuel is an odd color and cloudy. Even the pick-up filter was ok. I can only assume the filter actually did it's job and actually removed all the water that had been in the fuel.

Next problem was, having  re-assembled everything the refusal to idle issue is back, and when the engine is running there is now a severe fuel leak, not dripping from the tank but running. As access is so limited I can't see where it's leaking from but think I must have fractured one of the metal pipes whilst moving them clear to remove the stack unit.

I ordered a new set of hoses from Milners which arrived today and am really hacked off to find the main feed hose they supply is 8mm when in fact it needs to be 12mm to fit the stack unit, and the return hose is 6mm when in fact it needs to be 8mm, and I have doubts that at only 2m long it would be long enough even if it eas the correct diamater. Milners say these are the only hoses they list for that model, and don't even keep 12mm hoses.

I really wish I'd never bought this car. I should have searched for another Paj.

[Google]

[SteveW-DID]

You can get the tank off fine without a lift if you dont mind lying on your back,drop the transmission crossmember

[icehawk]

Have you checked filler/breather ipes for corrosion,as this seems to be the major problem of pump problems/failure,due to the pipes rotting out behind the plastic cover letting water into the tank then into the pump.

[Groundhog]

Checked all of that. It turned out there isn't any water or *beep* in the tank, the filter must have caught it all. Moving around the hoses whilst opening the access plate/pipe stack must have fractured the metal pipe that runs along the top of the tank. Replacing the metal pipes with rubber hoses cured the leak but now it's refusing to idle, stalls when I lift off the accelerator pedal, and splutters when I depress the pedal.